Deadline Poet / October 3, 2023

Schumer Drops Senatorial Dress Code

Calvin Trillin
Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman celebrates his victory
Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman celebrates his victory on election night November 9, 2022, in Pittsburgh, Pa. (Photo by Jeff Swensen / Getty Images)

When Fetterman appeared, one wondered could he
Be senator while dressed in jeans and hoodie?
He could. For senators it’s now OK
To dress for Casual Friday every day.
If rioters attempt another coup
It might be hard to tell just who is who.

Calvin Trillin

Calvin Trillin is The Nation’s “deadline poet.”

More from The Nation

Graham Platner’s video dropping out of the US Senate race in Maine.

The Graham Platner Fiasco Proves Messiah Politics Is No Alternative to a Failed Establishment The Graham Platner Fiasco Proves Messiah Politics Is No Alternative to a Failed Establishment

Democratic leaders have rightfully lost credibility. But that’s no excuse for political adventurers to seize the moment and pump up false saviors.

Jeet Heer

MAGA Murder Inc.

MAGA Murder Inc. MAGA Murder Inc.

ICE kills again.

Steve Brodner

Walls of Solidarity

Walls of Solidarity Walls of Solidarity

Street art in Barcelona expressing solidarity with Palestine, June 2026.

OppArt / Bob Bingenheimer

Candles are lit during a vigil for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national shot dead by a federal immigration agent, on July 8, 2026, in Houston.

What One Week of Trump News Says About Our New Normal What One Week of Trump News Says About Our New Normal

Trump’s constant cruelty can make it all seem routine.

Column / Sasha Abramsky

US Senate candidate from Maine Graham Platner during a campaign event with the Maine AFL-CIO in Portland on May 1, 2026.

Graham Platner’s Downfall Was All Too Predictable Graham Platner’s Downfall Was All Too Predictable

Inexperienced and improperly vetted, the candidate was a disaster in the making.

Katha Pollitt

Hot as Hell

Hot as Hell Hot as Hell

Continued dependence on oil is boiling our planet.

OppArt / Peter Kuper